25 Classic ’90s Rap Songs That Highlight Hip-Hop’s Golden Years

The ’90s were hip-hop’s golden age. The era gave rise to some of the most prolific MCs there have ever been, and their legacy lives on today in the incredible music they shared with us all. There are, of course, the two titans of the genre, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G., who we tragically lost before the decade was over, plus other hip-hop giants who made a major mark in the decade, including the late DMX, Method Man, women rappers made an impact during the era, including Missy Elliott, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, and Lauryn Hill as a member of the Fugees.

The hip-hop of the ’90s was inventive and thrilling, and it started to truly take over the rest of the world, influencing music, fashion, movies, television, and culture forever.

Ahead, we rounded up some of our favorite ’90s hip-hop songs, from ones that we’ve always kept in our rotation to nostalgic hits that take us right back to the genre’s golden years.